On this final episode in this series on More Than Mentoring, we welcome Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Daniela Robles and Assistant Director of Induction and Mentoring Kathleen Paulsen back to the podcast. They reflect on themes through this season and discuss the role of mentors and what formal mentorship means for the enhanced practice and sustainability of educators across Arizona. Daniela recognizes how there is both an art, that includes the relationship component of mentoring, and a...
May 15, 2025•24 min
On this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, we continue our conversation with mentor Inez Ramirez, NBCT, from Maricopa Unified School District — this time, with one of her teacher mentees, Anthony Gonzalez. Through the episode, Inez and Anthony share with host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, and discuss with each other how they worked together through the past year and the ways Inez’ instructional mentoring support has had a deep impact on Anthony and his students. Inez and Anthony’s conversation centers on some sp...
May 08, 2025•23 min
On this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, you will meet Inez Ramirez, NBCT, a mentor with the Maricopa Unified School District. Inez walks us through her role as an instructional mentor for beginning teachers and the ways mentoring supports teachers in her district. She shares how she not only differentiates the support she provides but the various ways that she meets the needs of her mentees and maximizes their time spent connecting. Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, and Inez reinforce that the mentor-mentee ...
May 01, 2025•34 min
So far in this series on More Than Mentoring, we’ve been talking about mentoring you receive as a classroom teacher. On today’s episode, we step inside Northern Arizona University’s College of Education and talk with two faculty about how they mentor student teachers. Bobby Macias and Ashley Esparza are both teach and support pre-service educators at NAU. They share with host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, about the current realities of supporting pre-service educators and the conversations they are hav...
Apr 24, 2025•43 min
Emmett Burnton and Ryan Donovan are two teachers both working in the social studies department at Boulder Creek High School in Deer Valley Unified School District. Not only colleagues, Emmett and Ryan have become mentors and coaches for each other. In today’s episode, 3Ps in a Pod hosts Kathleen Paulsen, NBCT, and Marlys Weaver talk with these outstanding educators about how they mentor each other to be their professional best and continue to evolve their practice. Both teachers were also recogn...
Apr 17, 2025•36 min
Join Kathleen Paulsen, assistant director of induction and mentoring at the Arizona K12 Center, as she connects with long-time educator and author Joellen Killion. They take a deep look at mentoring and induction and talk about what continues to inspire and drive Joellen’s work. Joellen is a renowned leader in education with 30 years of experience in the design, implementation, and evaluation of professional learning. Joellen has served as a senior advisor to Learning Forward and is also the aut...
Mar 27, 2025•20 min
Dr. Andy Kahn of Understood.org returns to 3Ps in a Pod to talk about what to know about students with learning and thinking differences and also how mentors can help teachers in supporting these students, all on this third episode of our series on More Than Mentoring. Dr. Kahn asks both teachers and mentors to have a working knowledge of our classroom and students in a holistic and meaningful way. Mentoring cannot only help teachers prepare for the content and logistical elements of what needs ...
Mar 20, 2025•40 min
Join host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, on this episode of 3Ps in a Pod as she connects with Sarah Brown Wessling, NBCT, an Iowa-grown educator who is as passionate as ever about what she does and finding ways to make deep connections. In this second episode of our series “More Than Mentoring,” Sarah explains how she collapses the space between mentor and teacher in order to be in a collaborative relationship with her mentees. Sarah Brown Wessling is a high school English teacher and the director of th...
Mar 06, 2025•38 min
Welcome to this new 3Ps in a Pod series on More Than Mentoring! In this first episode, host Marlys Weaver welcomes Arizona K12 Center Executive Director Daniela Robles and Assistant Director of Induction and Mentoring Kathleen Paulsen to explore instructional mentoring, how it’s different than coaching, and what this work can do for teachers, mentors, and school communities. Kathleen and Daniela both share how they came to instructional mentoring before actually having the title of a mentor or c...
Feb 27, 2025•37 min
We’ll have a full season of 3Ps in a Pod starting soon. In the meantime, here’s a special episode of 3Ps in a Pod with Ken Shelton, an expert on artificial intelligence (AI) in education and author of The Promises and Perils of AI in Education: Ethics and Equity Have Entered the Chat . Marlys Weaver of the Arizona K12 Center and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, co-host this episode. Dr. Lindsey also co-hosted the four-part AI in Education podcast series ...
Feb 06, 2025•43 min
While we focus on K-12 education at the Arizona K12 Center, today on 3Ps in a Pod, we’re talking about a particular pathway for high school graduates. Today, Amanda Schmidt, a senior development director with NAU Advancement, joins us to talk about ways to remove or lower barriers to post-secondary education and how, as a community, we can all participate in helping others achieve success by lowering financial barriers. Amanda shares about why she encourages students to lead with curiosity when ...
Dec 05, 2024•36 min
Have you been wondering about how we can more deeply connect students to their local communities? Have you been curious about exploring how to co-construct learning opportunities with students? On this seventh episode of our 3Ps in a Pod series on "Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools," we are investigating ways to strengthen the connection between students and community. Leading the potential for bridging connections between students and the community is J...
Nov 21, 2024•40 min
Liberatory Design is an approach to changing what is and creating a whole ecosystem that best supports all students. It is a process and practice to create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression. In this episode, host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, talks with Kathleen Osta from National Equity Project about Liberatory Design. Kathleen and Juliana explore the 12 mindsets of Liberatory Design and how they support collaborative work. These mindse...
Nov 14, 2024•40 min
In this episode, we welcome back Principal Jose Lara from Gilbert High School in Anaheim (California) Union School District and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Teresa Hill of Tucson Values Teachers and a former coach and principal. They build upon the previous episode’s conversation, this time exploring the impact of deep relationships with families and caregivers and how these help influence school climate and culture. Dr. Hill and Principal Lara also explore what community means and how to build c...
Nov 07, 2024•22 min
The way principals help support deep relationships with staff and students is essential to student learning. In this episode, we explore how the relationships between staff and students can create positive environments for teaching and learning. That’s what we’re exploring in this fourth episode in our series on Healthy and Thriving Environments for Strong Connections and Strong Schools. Principal Jose Lara from Gilbert High School in Anaheim (California) Union School District and Chief Executiv...
Oct 31, 2024•39 min
Understanding emotional regulation and dysregulation is foundational to well being, no matter our age. On this episode of 3Ps in a Pod, we explore this very important topic with Dr. Andrew Khan from Understood.org. Dr. Khan shares the why behind understood.org and the vast resources that organization has developed to support educators and parents. Juliana and Dr. Khan explore neurodivergence and how to apply strategies to all learners and make our learning environments more inclusive. By doing s...
Oct 17, 2024•45 min
Author and teacher Patrick Harris will remind you to channel the magic of teaching in this episode of 3Ps in a Pod. He reflects on how teaching is human work and why showing up authentically is so important for both the teachers and the students. This season, we are exploring healthy and thriving environments for strong connections and strong schools. Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, connects you with various guests to help us explore this idea from diverse perspectives and help us think critically a...
Oct 10, 2024•29 min
Welcome back to a new season of 3Ps in a Pod! This season we will deeply explore a focus on healthy and thriving environments for strong connections and strong schools. Host Juliana Urtubey, NBCT, will be connecting you with various guests who will help us explore this idea from diverse perspectives and help us think critically about how we all work together to create strong schools that center our students. Through this series, you’ll find both thought-provoking conversations and complimentary ...
Oct 03, 2024•38 min
It’s another election year, and we’re talking with Gina Roberts of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission about the Civics Classroom Curriculum, a free and available resource to all Arizona teachers. 3Ps host Donnie Dicus welcomes Gina Roberts, the voter education director of the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission, to the podcast. The Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission is the state’s non-partisan voter education agency. The commission helps people learn about the logis...
May 23, 2024•23 min
Rachel Martinez is in her first year of teaching third-grade in Tolleson Elementary School District. In this episode, 3Ps in a Pod host Kathleen Paulsen talks with Rachel about the support she’s received at her school and the learning she did at the recent Welcome to Teaching event with Dr. Doug Fisher. She shares how struck she was by the six levels of engagement that Dr. Fisher shared and how he showed how even very young students can be aware of their engagement level and know what they need ...
May 16, 2024•25 min•Season 15Ep. 13
In the final episode of this podcast series on AI in Education, Dr. Chad Gestson and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey chat with Lauren Owens and Lindsey McCaleb about where teachers can go from here — where to begin, where they can find guidance, resources, and additional professional development for using AI with confidence. Dr. Gestson and Dr. Lindsey are both a part of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, a part of Northern Arizona University, while Lauren Owens is the director of informati...
May 02, 2024•45 min
Ready to see how AI can improve your work and impact student learning? In this third part of our series on AI in Education, we’ll dive into some AI tools you might consider trying in your teaching. In our last two episodes, we explored a bit of history of artificial intelligence and contemplated if using AI is cheating. Today, we look at what we can actually do with AI. Guest host Dr. Chad Gestson focuses on the heart of teaching and learning. He and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey chat with Dr. Michele Wils...
Apr 25, 2024•40 min
In this second part of our four-part series on AI in Education, guest host Dr. Chad Gestson asks the question that is on many educators’ minds: “Is AI cheating?” He and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey talk to Dr. Punya Mishra about academic and professional integrity, and why AI should be a catalyst to rethink “plagiarism” and “cheating." Dr. Gestson and Dr. Lindsey are both a part of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, a part of Northern Arizona University, while Dr. Mishra is associate dea...
Apr 18, 2024•40 min•Season 15Ep. 10
As artificial intelligence tools have become far more accessible in the past year, “AI” has become a major conversation for not just schools and education but in all aspects of life. That’s why we’re diving into discussions about AI in education in this four-part series with guest host Dr. Chad Gestson, executive director of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, and Dr. LeeAnn Lindsey, strategic planning director of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy. In this epis...
Apr 11, 2024•44 min
It’s been an exciting last few months for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards . Today, 3Ps in a Pod host Juliana Urtubey talks with CEO Peggy Brookins about recent National Board news and conversations. Peggy shares about the vision and work of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and the benefits of National Board Certification for educators and their students. She also reflects on how both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate introduced resolutions ...
Apr 04, 2024•29 min
When Dr. Jennifer Robinson first attended the Arizona K12 Center’s annual Teacher Leadership Institute, she was the only one from her district but connected with other “lone wolves.” She learned there but has since found even more value in bringing a team to this annual summer conference. She shares with 3Ps host Paula about how she brings a variety of personnel from her school with her to Teacher Leadership Institute and how they synthesize their learning together and also share with the rest o...
Mar 28, 2024•17 min•Season 15Ep. 7
Julia King Pool joined us last season to talk about the psychology behind the concept of burning in rather than burning out. In this episode, she continues that conversation by sharing specific strategies for approaching some difficult scenarios you might have encountered. Hosts Juliana and Marlys ask Julia several questions about stressful scenarios educators often find themselves in. These include difficult conversations with a student’s parent, balancing creativity and autonomy with a scripte...
Mar 21, 2024•34 min•Season 15Ep. 6
National Board Certification is the most respected professional certification available in education and provides numerous benefits to teachers, students, and schools. Today, 3Ps in a Pod host Donnie talks with four educators from Litchfield Elementary School District about how they have structured and grown their support for National Board Certification candidates to, in turn, better support students. Joining us from Litchfield Elementary School District are New National Board Certified Teacher...
Mar 07, 2024•27 min
If you’re a teacher, you’re a dendrite grower, according to today’s guest Dr. Marcia Tate. Growing dendrites is a piece of brain science Dr. Tate shares in many of her books and workshops to help educators understand the context of brain-based teaching and learning. Dr. Tate talks with 3Ps host Josh about how, after years working as a teacher and an administrator, she learned about the brain science behind teaching and wanted to share that understanding with others. She has now been in education...
Feb 29, 2024•30 min•Season 15Ep. 4
You may know the Arizona Educational Foundation or AEF as the home of the Arizona Teacher of the Year program and the Arizona State Spelling Bee. In this episode, you’ll hear from Kim Graham, CEO of AEF, about the work of the Foundation and how she approaches her work leading these efforts. Kim shares how she moved from studying theater to teaching high school English to working in arts education to leading the Arizona Educational Foundation. She shares with Daniela about the specific programs A...
Feb 22, 2024•23 min•Season 15Ep. 3
